POP-STAR’S HONOUR ROLL

Five are sturdy little fellows ranging from three to a not so little twenty-one year old. Two are Pop-Star’s little princesses.

They are just the smartest kids. Get it from MPS no doubt.

The Youngest Three

“MaginativeMike” at three, by watching his Dad, learned how to negotiate the iPad and even worked out how to down-load the Disney films he wanted to watch. Dad, (whom we’ll call P for Pater), had wondered why the iTunes bill was bigger than usual.

One day recently Mike’s teacher took P aside when he arrived at the school to pick up now five-year old Mike. He just wanted to let P know that Mike had told some pretty tall stories at school; stories that couldn’t possibly be true.

Back home P somewhat sternly interrogated his boy. Why was he making up these stories; didn’t he know that he was telling lies? P was taken aback by his reply, and could hardly hide his mirth.

“But I want to tell lies! I want to see how big my nose will grow” It was a perfect rebuttal and just goes to show that one good lie deserves another.

Mike is quite creative. He enjoys drawing, painting and colouring-in activities. However he is always ready to exchange fisticuffs with his young brother; but is quite protective of his little sister.

Toughest of the bunch is three going on four-year old Sunny Sam. A constant muncher, he is building the physique of a miniature Sumo wrestler, and likes nothing more than a good fight with his older (I’m not sure who is the bigger) brother. He can be a bit of a villain. He will needle his brother, and when Mike retaliates, guess who gets the blame.

He has inherited P’s fun-loving nature, and love of sport. Soccer is his favourite and already he is displaying above average skill. Although he can happily play by himself for hours, he loves it when someone takes the time to test his ability. He giggles and giggles when he watches Pop-Stars efforts.

But the smiles desert him when he is unwell or hurt; Mummy’s boy then, wanting to be comforted. No one else will do.

The last cab off this rank is the not yet two-year old little Miss Charming . When last seen by Pop-Star (the family has regrettably had to move interstate) she was still not talking but knew how to make her wishes known with her own language of signs and actions. She also knows how to express her displeasure, and how to boss her big brothers around when necessary, to get her own way. She’s not boisterous like her brothers, loves her clothes, and nestles into Pop-Star’s shoulder when he picks her up.

The Middle Two

The older child in the second family liked being the only girl grandchild up until Miss Charming came along. It made her feel extra special. Although no longer the only one, she can never be displaced from being the first. Pop-Star likes to think of her as Maid Marion.

She has a love of all kinds of animals, and even as a toddler knew how to safely pat a dog, or stroke a cat. For this reason she is not so keen on eating meat preferring, but not exclusively eating, a vegetarian diet. It is her ambition if it works out that way, to become a Vet.

Soon to blossom into adolescence, she is already taller than MPS and a picture of elegance. Blessed with long and lustrous hair, it is a continual battle to keep it knots

The Middle Two

free. They say it is a woman’s crowning glory; well worth the effort to look after it.

She might look like a guileless Innocent Abroad, but she has a mischievous streak, and loves to tease, and play games; especially with her young brother, to his annoyance.

Soon after she learned to walk Pop-Star would take her with him when he went for a stroll around the block. It was a stop-go excursion. She loved to halt the walk, sit on the ground, and sift through the soil and the stones. Then when she could, to Pop-Star’s great alarm, she would take off at a great rate down the footpath with the old man struggling behind to catch her before she got run-over.

He might be only nine years old, but the mostly quiet and Polite Paddy is mature beyond his years. He speaks beautifully for one so young, and is quite thoughtful and perceptive about life.

Like his big sister he is bright with his school work attaining excellent grades. He is amazingly flexible and agile, and shows an élite ability in gymnastics, swimming and diving.

He has set his sights on achieving well. His recently declared ambition is to study Law at Harvard University in the USA. Pop-Star would be very proud if this became a reality.

Paddy shares Pop-Star’s addiction to computers but he is far more knowledgeable and adroit in using his. Their respective choice of web-site shows something of a generational gap. Considerately the oldies do not have to listen to the young ones’ music in this day of headphones.